2010 Appropriations Bill Includes New Funds to Help Disadvantaged Workers

The 2010 federal appropriations bill provides for the first time federal funding for transitional jobs to help people with barriers to employment, such as ex-offenders and long-term welfare recipients, enter the workforce.

Given the challenges facing many jobseekers in the current labor market, this new federal investment in such a promising employment strategy comes at a critical time. The bill includes $45 million for transitional jobs, $15 million of which is dedicated to employment strategies for ex-offenders, who often have extreme difficulties finding employment after they have completed their sentences.